American Senator Joseph McCarthy was on the hunt for espionage and communist propaganda that was distributed during the Cold War era (Rhynes 94). A couple of Hughes' books were blacklisted. These books were “Not Without Laughter” and “Fields of Wonder” (Rhynes 94). Many of the accused would simply plead the fifth and would not be charged. For the government this was a sign of guilt. Langston was tired of being harassed by these people and would not tolerate it. He joined the NAACP and decided to go before the committee and plead his case (Rhynes 94-95). He was treated badly by the commission's prosecutors. They finally struck a deal. If he said they treated him well, they would take his books off the "blacklist" (Rhynes 99). Although best known for his poetry, Hughes' works span many genres including a novel, a collection of short stories, and two volumes of his autobiography (Williams). He also wrote a column for the Chicago Defender, a black-owned and operated newspaper, for twenty years and occasionally lectured at Atlanta University and the University of Chicago laboratory schools. Additionally, Hughes excelled in theater, founding the "Skyloft Players" in 1941 to support black playwrights and showcase African-American points of view.